UZI

Glam Metal • United States

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UZI was formed on Chicago's south side in late 1986 by childhood friends and co-founders, singer, songwriter, bassist Nicholas Flynt and guitarist Keith Johnson.

A decade earlier their friendship was forged on a school playground by their equally unquenchable thirst for musical classics like "KISS - Alive!", Aerosmith's "Rocks", and Van Halen "Van Halen". They each bought guitars and formed a band and as the 70's gave way to the 80's they became influenced by the metal rock wave ridden by bands like AC/DC, Judas Priest, and Motley Crue.

They recruited local monster drummer Dan Parker and soon after Kenny Shattuck was enlisted to take over the bass. Gary "Vail" Vaillancour was brought into the band as the 2nd guitarist and the original lineup was complete. Under the name "Dillinger" the band recorded early 16 track demos at Hair Bear Studios and played to packed venues on the south side.

UZI live albums

UZI demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

UZI boxset & compilations

UZI singles (0)

UZI movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

UZI Reviews

UZI is another forgotten Chicago band that was started by singer Nicholas Flynt in the midst of 80s. Slowly building their local fanbase and play some heavy music that's influenced by Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and Motley Crue, UZI never got a chance to shine under major label and all tracks featured here were taken from as early as 1984 to around late 1991 right from their vault.

After scrolling this album couple of times, I found several gems including the first track, "Madhouse", quite shocked to read that this track is heavily influenced by the industrial god, Nine Inch Nails, coz all I can hear is a solid firey hard rock with a gigantic chorus; the heavy loads of "Mutha's Knockin"; the party-crasher, "Rocker"; and a superb heavy metal track, "Raise Hell", which was recorded in 1984 and featured Chip Z'Nuff on bass.

Other good tracks worth your attention is "American Dream" which sort of a cross between Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin and fueled by Guns N' Roses influence, "Wreckerd Man", which has a strange grungy feel, somehow not a very good track but enjoyable to my ears; and "For The Money", a solid slab of hard rock. The rest are fillers here including the ballad, "Away From My Heart", which ironically cited by the band as one of their strongest while I think the other way. A promising acoustical start but the excitement started to diminish as the song progresses to a very average arrangement.

UZI's "Madhouse" is another Eonian's solid release and since the recording year is varied, you can almost hear every kind of influences, ranging from the raw 70s rock, the 80s glam metal, the 90s alternative hooks and sleazy touch, but all in all, to sum up, this is a pleasant album and I'll guarantee this one will put a smile to hard rock fans' faces.